From debt to La Mare via paid parking and car duty

Government bond – October 2014

IT was the key Budget vote of this term as members decided to take advantage of what was seen as favourable market conditions to borrow money to help fund projects with a guaranteed income stream. Sold by Treasury as a way to consolidate existing debts with better deals, it has been questioned recently for the set up costs, which were not included in the report, and the lack of take-up from those bodies it was designed to help.

How they voted on Treasury and Resources proposal to borrow £250m. to fund projects with an income stream – which later rose to £330m. after Policy Council approval.

For: Deputies Perrot, Inglis, Soulsby, Sillars, Luxon, O'Hara, Hadley, Harwood, Kuttelwascher, Langlois, R. Jones, Le Clerc, Gollop, Sherbourne, St Pier, Stewart, Gillson, Ogier, Trott, D. Jones, Le Lievre, Spruce, Collins, Duquemin, Green, Le Tocq, James, Adam. 28.

Against: Deputies Brouard, Wilkie, De Lisle, Burford, Quin, Brehaut, Domaille, Conder, Bebb, Lester Queripel, Le Pelley, Laurie Queripel, Lowe, Dorey, Paint. 15.

Absent: Alderney representatives Jean and Harvey and Deputies Storey and Fallaize. 4.

La Mare de Carteret – November 2014

EDUCATION'S ambitious plans for the redevelopment of La Mare de Carteret included a High School and Primary School, a new autism centre and sports arena. The department was at loggerheads with Treasury, though, about the costs and scope of the project. This is the debate that set in motion an independent review of the project which eventually sparked a report on secondary education and from that a vote to end the 11-plus and close a secondary school.

How they voted on Deputy Le Tocq's amendment for an independent review of the scale, scope and specification of La Mare de Carteret.

For: Deputies Soulsby, Luxon, Harwood, Kuttelwascher, Domaille, Langlois, Le Clerc, St Pier, Stewart, Gillson, Le Pelley, Ogier, Trott, D. Jones, Spruce, Duquemin, Dorey, Paint, James, Adam, Perrot, Wilkie, De Lisle, Inglis and Alderney representatives Jean and Harvey. 26

Against: Deputies Sillars, O'Hara, Quin, Hadley, Brehaut, R. Jones, Gollop, Sherbourne, Conder, Lester Queripel, Fallaize, Laurie Queripel, Lowe, Le Lievre, Collins, Green, Brouard, Burford. 18

Absent: Deputies Storey, Bebb, Le Tocq.

First registration motor duty – January 2015

IT is rare indeed for the States to get involved in a detailed debate on legislation. It is normally seen as a rubber stamping exercise, the debate already having been had when the policy the law related to was debated. This was different. There had been significant public discontent with proposals for a duty based on CO2 emissions and width when new vehicles were registered agreed by the States in May 2014. The debate on the law was initially delayed a month, and then the Environment Department itself attempted to amend its own law as a compromise. It failed this time, but got an easy passage when scaled back even further more recently.

How they voted on Environment's amended first registration duty.

For: Deputies Harwood, Brehaut, R. Jones, Le Clerc, Gollop, Sherbourne, Conder, Bebb, St Pier, Ogier, Fallaize, Le Lievre, Duquemin, Green, Dorey, Le Tocq, Adam, Burford, Luxon, Hadley and Alderney representative McKinley. 21

Against: Deputies Kuttelwascher, Domaille, Langlois, Lester Queripel, Stewart, Gillson, Le Pelley, Trott, D. Jones, Laurie Queripel, Lowe, Collins, Paint, Perrot, Brouard, Wilkie, De Lisle, Inglis, Soulsby, Sillars, O'Hara, Quin and Alderney representative Jean. 23

Absent: Deputies Storey, Spruce, James.

Paid parking is parked – February 2015

IT was the second key income stream for the new transport strategy, but it did not take long for deputies to get cold feet over paid parking, just as their predecessors had done so many times before. A requete led by Deputy Brouard called for more reports about the transport strategy, evidence that an enhanced bus service had been in operation for six months and a benefit-in-kind arrangement approved before paid parking was introduced. The requete was amended to back paid parking clocks should paid parking be introduced.

How they voted on the requete for more reports before paid parking was introduced:

For: Deputies Le Clerc, Lester Queripel, St Pier, Stewart, Gillson, Le Pelley, Trott, D. Jones, Laurie Queripel, Lowe, Spruce, Collins, Green, Paint, Adam, Perrot, Brouard, Wilkie, De Lisle, Inglis, Soulsby, Sillars, Luxon, O'Hara, Kuttelwascher, Langlois and Alderney representatives Jean and McKinley. 28

Against: Deputies Gollop, Sherbourne, Conder, Bebb, Ogier, Le Lievre, Duquemin, Dorey, Le Tocq, James, Burford, Quin, Hadley, Harwood, Brehaut and R. Jones. 16

Absent: Deputies Storey, Fallaize, Domaille.

Tax, Pensions and Benefits review – March 2015

THIS was a major piece of work set on making Guernsey's tax, pensions and benefits systems robust enough to face the challenge of the next 20 years. It was big picture stuff and set in train changes that will be felt much more in the coming years. For the public, though, the most immediate threat was that of a GST. Treasury and Social Security wanted to keep it as an option under review to diversify the tax base – States members had other ideas and killed the idea off.

How they voted on the Conder amendment not to investigate a broad-based consumption tax (GST):

For: Deputies Le Pelley, Ogier, Trott, Fallaize, D. Jones, Laurie Queripel, Lowe, Le Lievre, Collins, Green, Dorey, Paint, Brouard, Wilkie, De Lisle, Burford, Soulsby, Sillars, O'Hara, Quin, Brehaut, R. Jones, Sherbourne, Conder, Bebb, Lester Queipel and Alderney representatives Jean and Harvey. 28

Against: Deputies St Pier, Stewart, Gillson, Spruce, Duquemin, Le Tocq, James, Adam, Perrot, Inglis, Luxon, Hadley, Harwood, Kuttelwascher, Domaille, Langlois, Le Clerc, Gollop. 18

Absent: Deputy Storey.